[uf-discuss] Getting started with microformats

[Bob Jonkman]

Chris Messina wrote:
> So I had the question posed to me yet again:
>
> "Ok, we know we should do microformats... but we're not sure where to
> start. Can you help us out?"
[...]
> We could offer either a case study ("XCorp started by locating all
> references to people and locations on their website. They then marked
> up their pages using hcard. Specifically, this is the code they
> changed...").
[...]

I came across microformats almost exactly a year ago, and idly proposed 
the hGEDCOM format for genealogy.  I saw that a separate Wiki page had 
been created (thanx, Tantek!), but didn't really get excited about the 
whole thing until I heard the podcast of Tantek's panel discussion at 
SXSW (audio file at 
http://player.sxsw.com/2006/podcasts/SXSW06.INT.20060313.Microformats.mp3)  
This would be a great introduction to anyone trying to understand why 
microformats should be done.

I'm currently adding microformats to a bunch of pages on the Intranet at 
work, so I may be able to provide details of the pitfalls that a newbie 
encounters while microformatting:  paying attention to subordinate 
classes (eg. <a class="vcard fn url" href="bjonkman.htm">Bob Jonkman</a> 
doesn't work); make sure the Web page validates before microformatting, 
make sure the Web page still validates after microformatting; it helps 
to understand the base format (vCard, Atom) before trying to do hcard or 
hatom.  I can expound on this in the Wiki -- where do I start?

BTW, is there a microformat validation tool?  I'm currently relying on 
the Tails Export extension by Rob de Bruin in Firefox -- if it displays 
there it must be OK...

--Bob.